Dear Parrots magazine,
What a mess!
I read in the January issue the article by Eb Cravens about how messy parrots can be, well, how that resonates with me! We bought an African Grey 14 years ago and although love him to pieces, he does make an amazing mess like all companion parrots do. Whatever I put in his cage, he will pick at it and tear it to pieces, weather toys, wooden perches, or cardboard boxes and anything else he can get his beak into. But as we all know, this is what parrots do and I agree, it’s like having a five-year-old toddler for the rest of your life, but I wouldn’t be without him for all the money in the world.
But it goes even further, as just over 18 months ago, an acquaintance of mine had a good friend who had to give up her African Grey due to poor health. She knew I was a parrot nut and so turned up with this elderly lady’s Grey – without notice! Obviously, I was somewhat taken back, although I did know a little about this lady and her poor health in conversations from time to time. Well, I couldn’t possibly turn it down, as I was concerned it may well end up being advertised online, so I took this Grey in, as it just looked at me through the cage bars as though to say ‘please can I come and stay with you’?
So, I now have two Greys and two lots more mess that keeps me busy pretty well every day, as luckily, I don’t have to go to work, my husband has a well-paid job that caters for all our needs. He does moan a bit at the mess, but I’m pretty good at cleaning up and also have one of those little hand vacuum cleaners that I saw in a previous issue. I have to say it has made a massive difference as so easy to use as opposed to my other hand vacuum, which is very good, but a little bit cumbersome for those little bits and pieces, or if you have weak hands.
If you want to have a parrot you must be prepared that you will always be busy cleaning up the bits and pieces that are thrown out of the cage on a daily basis. But the pleasure of sharing your life with these feathered creatures far outweighs the mess.
Evelyn Marshal, by email